Isack Hadjar demonstrated strong speed leading up to the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, having secured a podium finish just a week before at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The French driver qualified third but was pushed back to eighth on the Sepang International Circuit grid due to a penalty.
Starting on intermediate tyres, like his teammate, was the right call following the lengthy race delay, given the track conditions. Despite challenging circumstances, the Formula 1 newcomer managed a solid race, running fourth before the final safety car was deployed late in the event.
Hadjar was elevated to third place and appeared set for another podium after George Russell experienced a power unit failure right ahead of him. Unfortunately, his battery encountered problems following the safety car period, causing him to fall behind Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s Ferraris.
Crossing the finish line in fifth, Hadjar expressed frustration at missing out on what he believed would be another podium result. He said, “I had no pace, but something was wrong. Even though we were faster than Mercedes all weekend, during the race we were nowhere. I don’t understand how we ended up losing battery power. On the straights, I couldn’t defend against the Ferraris. We lost positions over something so avoidable. Hamilton was 15 seconds behind me but was suddenly alongside within a few laps, despite me being quicker all weekend. We need to resolve this issue in Singapore and come back stronger.”
Regarding the safety car restart, Hadjar reiterated the battery struggles and revealed he experienced grip issues, even while following the safety car. He explained, “In the first two laps after the restart, the battery was really down, then it stabilized and I was fast again—otherwise, I could have held third. But grip was a big problem; I felt like I had no traction, like I was on the wrong tyres even behind the safety car. I came back out on the wrong compound.”
Meanwhile, Hadjar watched as his teammate Max Verstappen secured Red Bull’s first victory of the season from pole position.
Fan Take:
Hadjar’s misfortune highlights how technical reliability remains a critical factor, even for promising rookies, impacting race outcomes dramatically. For racing fans, this underscores the thrilling unpredictability of Formula 1 and the fine margins that decide podium finishes, signaling the intense battles and developments to expect as the season progresses.
Source: www.crash.net
